Day 1
Parkes to Trundle
62km 35% paved/65% unpaved +265m -369m
Parkes is a city with an understated history being a crucial communications component of Apollo 11's voyage and the first manned lunar landing . Way back in 1969 when almost the entire world sat and watched astronauts take the first steps on the moon live on grainy black and white TV, those images were relayed via the Parkes Radio Telescope. Oh, and there is the Elvis Festival, a phenomenal celebration of the proclaimed by many, 'King of Rock and Roll' which sees visitors from around Australia and the world descend on this inland city once a year in celebration of the man from Memphis. The cycle todays passes through wheatbelt country and is predominately agricultural passing though some large agricultural land holdings.
Day 2
Trundle to Peak Hill
69 km 29% paved/71% unpaved +327m -292m
Trundle is a classic country town with New South Wales widest main street and a pub with the longest wooden veranda in Australia at 68 meters! Apparently the main street, at 60 meters, was designed to accommodate turning bullock trains. More recently in the tradition of the Parkes Elvis Festival, Trundle has launched the Trundle Abba Festival. With a harsh landscape and open plains it is located in stark contrast to the lush forests and mountains of Sweden the home of Abba but then, love has few boundaries. Being part of the 'Central West Slopes and Plains' this country certainly fulfills the 'plains' part of that title. The cycle is along more open country with huge horizons some call 'big sky country'.
Day 3
Peak Hill to Parkes
49km 20% paved/80% unpaved +289m -202m
The cycle journey today begins our journey back to Parkes and the first loop in a figure 8 route that passes back through Parkes. The cycling is again through more rural land holding and wheat belt country along some excellent backroads. We'll head to the Parkes Radio Telescope which while having an incredible history is not a museum piece and still plays an important role in scientific research. Apparently the current telescope is 10,000 times more powerful than its initial configuration. The success of the Parkes telescope led NASA to copy the basic design in their Deep Space Network. There is an option to cycle the remaining 23 km into Parkes from here or jump on the bus for a transfer.
Day 4
Parkes to Eugowra
46km 38% paved /62% unpaved +474m -531m
Now for a change of pace and landscape. Cycling through areas distinctly different from the rich alluvial plains and broad landscapes of the previous days we now head into some more remote and sparsely populated areas of small land holding and 'lifestylers'. The cycle route passes though some great wooded Cypress Pine grooves and native vegetation as we gain a bit of elevation and negotiate the foothills around Mount Boulton with excellent panoramic views as you head into Eugowara. Apparently Eugowra is a Wiradjuri word meaning 'the place where sand washes down from the hills' and with the amazing escarpments in the area and the numerous river plains below it is an apt name for this town. Eugowra also has a brilliant display of street murals which adds a lot of colour to the town.
Day 5
Eugowra to Forbes
54km 50% paved/50% unpaved +236m -269m
The first part of the day is along a quite paved shady road, the original 'Escorts Way'. This is fertile farming land and the flood plains of Marara and Mandagery Creeks and Lachlan River with evidence of broad flooding along kilometres of fence line. There are some huge trees here which obviously have found deep roots in the flood plains and feel comfortable with the regular flooding. The route then heads north through some spectacular farmland and prime agricultural land, predominantly grazing land, before entering the inland city of Forbes though the backdoor and South Circle Park. Forbes is a quintessential inland country city taking pride of their parks and gardens with a distinct city centre peppered with a number of grand heritage buildings.
Day 6
Forbes to Parkes
42km 62% paved/38% unpaved +284m -168m
Forbes and Parkes share a close bond with an almost sister city relationship and have a real 'city proud' feeling with well tendered parks and gardens and well preserved historic buildings. While some inland towns and cities may have a feeling that the 'glory days' are behind them both Parkes and Forbes feel alive and vibrant and very much on the front foot. Being just 30 km apart both communities overlap considerably in employment, health and regional government services. Parkes and Forbes are connected by the National Newell Highway with huge traffic volumes. Thankfully, we can totally avoid the Newell and take an indirect route to Parkes along quite back roads past substantial landholdings and cycle though some of the best farming areas of the Southern Central West.
LVCT Western Loop
Parkes | Trundle | Peak Hill | Parkes
PedalVentures Cycle Tours
Premium Cycle Adventures
PedalVentures has been providing premium supported tours in the Pilliga, Warrumbungles, along the Central West Cycle Trial and through Capertee Valley in the Central West region and is pleased to now offer the Lachlan Valley Cycle Trail as another Central West destination. Our touring schedule runs through Spring and Autumn each year with a Lachlan Valley departure scheduled for June 3-9 and November 3-9
Please contact us for more information on this new destination and be an early cyclist along this great trail.
LVCT Eastern Loop
Parkes | Eugowra | Forbes | Parkes
